The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-11-03
So LONDONDERRY VT. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER g. 1887

nurses, carriages, and SO on; ne can al
ford her extravagenccs, where, were his
income less, it would be an insufferable
burden to him. On the other hand, I
try to obey the dictates of my heart
and be a mother to our dear children.
| teach them to look to us with respect
and get love in return. / share their
| joys and sorrows and they confidc all in
me, and VIC are happy. I
ask no moro happiness. You
are doing all that you can
on limited salary. If I kept house as
Mrs. Draino does, everything would be
at skies and sevcns."
"What very common expression,
Katie"
''But it means so much, Charles"
Mrs. Wcstbrook was in her nursery a
few minutes later when the one little
maid whom she kept, came hurrying up
stairs, wiping her hands on her checked
gingham apron.
"Ma'am," said She brcathlessly eager
to communicate her news, "hcrc's a
dreadful thing"
"What is it, LizzieW asked her mis-
ress.
"Mrs. Draine's nurse has just been
over, ma'am, a-crylng and a-takin' on
dreadful. The poor dear children is
lost"
'Lostl In city like this! Impossi-
blel"
"But they is, ma'am. There amt
nothin' been seen of 'cm, since nine
o'clock this morning. Bridget supposed
they'd run after their mothers carriage
--and Mrs. Drainc, she supposed they
were safe at home with rilgct-and
now they amt nowhere! And Mrs.
Draine she's a-goin' into Mysteries awful
and Mr.. Draine swearing fit to take the
top of the ceiling of"
"Poor crca,ure!" said Mrs. West
brook, softly---and arm in arm with her
husband she went over to the stately
Drainc mansion to offer her sympathy
and assistance
Mr.. Draine's teeth were set together
Ibis eyes were blazing.
"Its what we might have expected"
he said, "neither more nor less! My
wife gave up the care of little ones to
hirelings, and they have proved as most
worthy of trust as we might have
known! Louisa" to his wife, eff any
thing serious has happened to our chill
dren the blame will lay at your door,
Herbert, how can you be so cruel
so heartless," sobbed Mrs. Draine. But
at this moment face looked in at the
half-open door-a face so white and
CHASTITY SO full of unexpressed horror,
that Mrs. Westbrook involuntarily held
her breath. The man beckon to her.
"You are friend of the family2"
iaNS SOIiC W oCJ "lldt gOOA 1Soulu
do" she hesitatingly answered.
Perhaps, then, you can break the
tidings to the poor woman" he whis-
rered. "Therc are two children at the
Grand Western depot badly hurt-and
from the descriptions telegraphed to the
police stations, we fear they are the lost
children of this Mr.. Drainc. They had
stolen into freight car, and there fallen
aslcep-and on being suddenly reused
and sent out by car loader, wandered,
III their bewilderment, directly across
the track of an incoming engine, just
detached from a train. One cannot
survive long; the other is also seriously
if not fatally injured. They are bring
ing them here on stretchers; they will
probably be at the door by the time you
can prepare the mothers mind little
for the shock.
That hours work was the hardest
and bitterest that Kate Wcstbrook ever
did!
Don't bring them near me- can't
bear to look at them! I have killed
thcm| wildly walled Mrs. Draine-and
it was Mrs. Wcstbrook's tender arms
that lifted the bruised and dying little
ones into their cribs, so soon, alas! to
be vacant, Mrs. Wcstbrook's hand that
held the draught to their parched lips.
So they died, and the great house was
dcsolate and alone.
"Katic," said Mr. Wcstbrook, the
next day, when he saw his wifo among
her little ones, serene, loving, ewes
quick to heed their baby wants, "you
are right about mothers duties. God
preserve us from ever drinkingthc bitter
cup that has been held to Mrs. Draine's
lips"
And Katie murmurcd:
~ u